The Phoenix Curse (Book 3): After

by D. R. Johnson

  "Just be ready." Her lips twisted into a frown, and her quiet voice was firm. "Always. The freaks will run right past you to get to her. You can never let your guard down."

  Ali fell silent as Stephanie shifted. Her eyes fluttered open slightly, and she tried to stretch between us.

  "Be still." Ali commanded in a hushed, low tone, and Stephanie's eyes shot open. The girl looked confused and disoriented, but her body stiffened as she heeded Ali's warning. "No noises."

  I craned my neck to look around again. The dead-brains that had passed by were well away from ear-shot now. With their backs to us, I doubted we would draw their attention if we moved quietly. Looking back toward the rising sun, I could see more shuffling silhouettes. I didn't want to find out if they were coming toward us or not.

  Ali and I both rose at the same time, and she immediately started to shove the blankets into one of the packs. I helped Stephanie to her feet where she continued her stretch, still unaware of how dangerous her position was. Then she saw the dead-brains. Her gasp was expected but loud. I quickly stepped in front of her wide-eyed gaze of panic and put a finger over my lips.

  "We're moving away from them." I whispered in the same low tone. Her eyes fixed on mine, but there was no understanding there. All the blood drained from her face. I repeated myself, hoping to get through. "We're going to move away from them. If we're quiet, they won't notice us."

  Some of the tension melted from her eyes in the seconds that followed. I reached out to grip her arms firmly, and I turned her from them and faced her toward the rocky hills. Finally, Stephanie nodded.

  Ali watched the exchange and stood ready with Stephanie's pack. It was mounted on her back with hardly any resistance, or help for that matter, and Ali finished by settling the blanket over her shoulders. Ali didn't even bother to shake the dirt free.

  I slung one pack over my shoulder and grabbed the other in my left hand. That was all it took to clean up our camp. Taking Stephanie's hand firmly in mine, I pulled her forward to get her moving. Her steps were small and slow at first, as if her body had been frozen. After a few, rigid movements, her legs seemed to thaw and she settled into a normal pace.

  We aimed for the rocky slope that looked threatening with all its morning shadows. If dead-brains could be out here on the flatlands, they could be there too. My hand gripping Stephanie's began to sweat.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  "Is it always like that?" Stephanie asked once we were well away from the camp. We had seen several more dead-brains walking in the distance, all traveling west at a slow, steady pace.

  "No." Ali said. "Not always. Sometimes they just stand there unless something draws them, but I've seen a few that will walk till their feet fall off."

  Ali glanced over her shoulder and, for a moment, her hard expression faded to something close to sympathy. "I'll try to find us a building we can rest in tonight."

  Stephanie nodded. Her cheeks were pale, and the fear never left her eyes. "That would be nice."

  Eventually, I released Stephanie's hand and fell in behind her. We walked with the sun at our backs. The warmth felt good, but then I had never been uncomfortably cool. Stephanie kept the blanket pulled tightly around her, and remained stiff and quiet. Her stomach began to rumble.

  It started not long after we made it a safe distance away from the dead-brains, but it was a soft sound. I wasn't sure if Ali heard it, and Stephanie wasn't saying anything. It took me a bit to realize she wasn't going to say anything about it, either. Just like the cold, Stephanie didn't complain, and just like the cold, Ali and I didn't notice our hunger, but Stephanie surely did.

  "Can we eat something?" I asked, not letting my voice rise above a whisper. Ali shot me a doubtful look over her shoulder. Her bruises made it look like she was scowling, and I frowned back at her before I could stop myself. She ignored me, turning further to study Stephanie and she stopped walking abruptly. Stephanie made a startled sound like a hiccup, and Ali reached out to steady her.

  "Are you hungry?" Ali asked, looking at her with concern.

  "Um." Stephanie stammered. Her voice was uncertain when she answered, turning her word into a question. "Maybe?"

  I glanced around quickly, seeing Ali do the same. We could see the dead-brains shuffling along below on the flatter ground, but there wasn't anything else in the area. Ali gave me a curt nod, dropping one of her packs from her shoulder. "We should probably walk and eat. I'd rather find some type of shelter before we take a break."

  "Okay," I said and leaned toward Stephanie, offering to take her blanket. She let it go reluctantly, her hands clasping tightly together over her belly when they had nothing else to hold onto. I quickly shook the dirt free and draped the blanket back over her shoulders. Stephanie's lips curved slightly at the corners, the faintest hint of a smile, and bright pink spots bloomed in the center of her cheeks.

  "Thank you." She whispered, once again clutching the blanket closed at her throat. Her look lingered, making me feel awkward.

  "Want some soup?" Ali said flatly, almost loudly. It was definitely the loudest words spoken all morning and I almost jumped. Stephanie did jump as she turned to face Ali. She had already pulled the top off a can of chicken noodle soup and was holding it to Stephanie.

  Stephanie's expression twisted into disgust as she took the can from Ali. I rose on my tiptoes, trying to see over Stephanie's shoulder to the contents inside the can, but Ali was already popping the top off another one. This one she handed to me with a wry smirk on her face.

  "This one expired two years ago, so it's pretty fresh." She said.

  I wanted to groan, and I'm sure the look I gave her was the same one that had twisted Stephanie's face, but I didn't protest. Drinking cold soup out of a can after being able to eat fresh potatoes and cheese didn't seem appealing. I would rather have gone without, but I glanced at Stephanie in time to see her take a sip.

  Stephanie coughed as she pulled the can away. A slight smile curved her lips, and she over exaggerated her words. "Mmm, delicious."

  Ali actually chuckled softly as she pulled a third can from her pack. Her smile faded as she cracked the lid and looked at the congealed mess underneath. She sighed heavily and took a sip, holding the contents in her mouth before she could summon the nerve to swallow it.

  "Damn." She shook her head sharply and gathered her pack. "Let's get moving. I have some ramen we can cook for dinner."

  Thank God, I thought as I touched the rim of the can to my lips and licked off the wetness. Salty.

  As we walked, I didn't know how I was going to stomach the cold soup, but after a few tries, I was able to get more of it down. Stephanie was struggling with hers too, and Ali seemed to give up about a third of the way into it. Without a word, she poured the contents near a pile of rocks and wedged the can underneath them, hiding it from view.

  "Anyone else?" She asked.

  We both silently handed our cans over and watched Ali make them disappear. I was surprised by how much Stephanie was able to get down, and she blushed when she noticed the look I gave her. Ali rolled her eyes and passed out water bottles before moving on again.

  The sun rose higher and warmed the air, but Stephanie was reluctant to let go of her blanket. I decided she kept if for the security and couldn't really blame her. She was terrified, and her eyes continued to wander to the growing number of dead-brains that paced on the flat ground below. My nervousness grew along with hers, and even though Ali continued to stoically guide us, I saw the worry in her eyes each time she glanced over her shoulder.

  The dead-brains stayed to the south and were some distance away, but the hills were trying to push us back into the valley. Ali led us further and further up the side of the slope, keeping as much distance between them and us as the terrain allowed.

  After plodding along for a while, I blinked up at the rising sun, then back the way we had come. I frowned at the short distance we had covered, and looked back at the jagged, rocky hill Ali was leading us over, hoping we cou
ld find a suitable shelter to rest under during the night. That was when Ali fell back into a crouch, and one hand shot behind her in a signal to stop. I froze, my heart leaping into my throat.

  Stephanie was either confused or frightened, and instead of stopping, she took several little steps backward until I reached out to grab her and pull her close. She gasped. The sound was practically silent, but it made my hairs stand on end. Ali gave two agitated shakes of her arm in warning, and Stephanie finally stood still. Then I heard it.

  The rhythmic sound of heavy breathing was coming from over the ridge, just out of my visibility. Ali had seen the source and was slowly reaching for her knife. I concentrated on every sound, and it felt like the world opened up around me.

  The wind picked up slightly, a gentle breeze, but it was enough to ruffle through the dried-up shrubs that sparsely covered the land. I could hear the sound of a distant bird, his call long and lonely, and Stephanie's breathing had increased to a nervous panting beside me. I heard the near silent scrape of the blade against leather as Ali bared her knife and the minute scuffle as she shifted her feet to take a step forward. I focused on the droning sound of the breathing coming from the other side of the ridge and flinched as it split in two. Not one, but two dead-brains.

  Then it split again. Three.

  And again. Four.

  My pulse sped up as I glared at Ali's back, willing her to turn around, but she took a step forward. After she was able to peer over the ridge, she stepped back and turned to me, holding up two fingers. I frantically shook my head, holding up four. Her eyebrows furrowed in a frown and I tapped my ear. She nodded understanding, but the perplexed look remained on her face as she turned back to the ridge.

  Stephanie stepped behind me. She was silent, her face drained and pasty white again. I wanted to be between her and the ridge, so I kept my hand stretched out to her. She was clasping it tightly, too disturbed by what was beyond the ridge to pull her eyes away from Ali. Her foot stumbled against a loose rock, and my grasp on her was all that kept her from going down.

  Stephanie, in her panic, finally let go of her blanket to claw at my arm, pulling herself hard against me. Two things surprised me then. The blanket managed to stay draped over her shoulders, and she was somehow able to remain silent. However, the rock she had dislodged was not so silent. It began to slide, drawing other loose pebbles along with it down the hill. It sounded like running water as the rubble slid down the slope and came to a halt only a few feet from where it started. The sound carried, and there was a rustle of movement from the other side of the ridge. They had heard.

  Ali didn't even look back.

  My pulse was racing as I watched Ali lunge forward, stabbing out with her bowie knife in one quick, powerful strike. Her target was beyond my sight, but the knife came back bloody. The dying dead-brain trailed after, its limp body falling over the top of the ridge. I couldn't look away from the gaping hole where its eye used to be as it gushed blood and other slimy liquids onto the dry ground. My stomach roiled at the sight, and I forgot to temper Stephanie's reaction. She screamed.

  The shrill blast echoed through the small valley, loud enough to alert every dead-brain in the area. I twisted as fast as I could to cover Stephanie's mouth and simultaneously push her behind me, but it was too late. Ali cussed as she disappeared over the crest, and then everything else ceased to matter.

  The tell-tale growl of frenzy rose from multiple sources on the other side of the ridge, and it ripped through me. I shuddered under the effect, catching my breath as it slid through my veins like ice. Then it passed, leaving me nauseated before the urgency of the situation crashed back in.

  Stephanie whimpered behind me.

  "Get down." I growled. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at me in horror, trembling. I shrugged off my packs and pulled out my belt knife in one easy movement as I repeated my warning, turning back to the ridge. "I said get down."

  As I moved to the ridge, I saw Ali had dispatched another dead-brain, its body falling down neatly alongside its companion. I glimpsed more dead-brains rushing toward us further down the slope, but my attention was captured by the one that had slipped by Ali, the one headed straight for me. I cringed away, forgetting for a moment the small knife I held in my hand. It hissed and spat as it found me, and for a terrifying second, I thought it was going to attack. Then its eyes moved on. It was fast, but confused, sensing humanity and unable to find what it wanted in me.

  Behind it, Ali stumbled, overbalanced by the heavy packs she carried. I remained rooted in fear as the dead-brain searched in front of me, spinning in circles and frantically trying to locate its prey. Its eyes never even looked past me to where Stephanie was hunkered down...

  Until she sobbed.

  Impossibly fast, its head snapped in her direction at the sound of her cry, finally locating what it sought. Its face was suddenly warped by rage and lost all resemblance of once being human. It sucked in a breath and screamed.

  The sound of the frenzy call erupted over me, sapping the strength from my legs. It felt like my spine turned to ice and shattered into a thousand tiny pieces, each piece trying to escape through my skin. Behind it, Ali was halfway to her feet and she threw back her head and roared. Her scream sounded pained at first, and then was overcome by anger and fury. In the rage of her scream, I found the strength and courage I thought I'd lost.

  As the dead-brain lunged, my paralysis broke. I caught it against my shoulder as it tried to pass me, and its momentum brought us both spinning to the ground. I was lucky enough to land on top. Taking advantage of my position, I clung to it, doing my best to pin it while it ignored me completely.

  The thing was on its belly, and even with my weight on its back I wasn't able to stop it from crawling toward Stephanie. It continued to hiss and began chomping at her, its teeth making a clicking sound every time its jaw snapped closed.

  Stephanie was kneeling, but fell backwards onto her butt as the dead-brain clawed at her. She held a pack in front of her like a shield and shuffled backwards, whimpering the whole while. The dead-brain clawed at the ground, inching ever closer to her and dragging me along with it. Trying to find leverage to stop it, or at least slow it, I grabbed a fistful of hair only to have it all rip free of the rubbery scalp. I ignored the queasy twist in my stomach as I shook my hand free of the hair.

  "Finish it!" Ali screamed behind me, and I knew by her words that she wasn't coming to help. I would have to stop it on my own while she dealt with the bigger threat I had glimpsed on the other side of the ridge.

  Finally remembering my knife, I clumsily tried to stab it in the eye, the same move I had used on the dead-brain that had bitten me, but I was at the wrong angle. The small blade hit bone and was turned away. The gash dripped blood, but the cut was insignificant. The dead-brain didn't even notice.

  I tried again, covering its eyes as I wrapped my arm around its head and pulled back, exposing the neck. Jabbing the short knife into the soft flesh, I twisted the blade. A gush of warm blood poured onto my fist and I instinctively jerked back, disgusted. A tidal wave of nausea roiled in my stomach, but the thing didn't stop.

  The dead-brain didn't care about me or what I had done to it. It had barely slowed in its struggle to get to Stephanie, even though its hisses had turned to gargles as its blood leaked into its throat. Suppressing my urge to gag, I stabbed it in the neck, twice in rapid succession, before my knife caught in the flesh and slipped from my grasp. The dead-brain clawed at the ground, slowly pulling itself along, and dug trenches in the sand and clay. Blood began to pool in those trenches.

  Finish it! Ali had said.

  How? I cried back at her in my mind. I searched vainly for the useless knife and gave up. It was too small, and it had done nothing to help me stop the beast. The wounds I'd inflicted might be fatal, but not before it killed Stephanie. She was going to die and I would live on to grieve another failure.

  Anger flared inside me at the thought, and I squeezed my eyes shu
t. Wrapping both arms around its head, I wrestled against its determination to move forward. Digging my heels into the clay, I leveraged my legs and pushed, causing the thing to sputter in protest. With one of my arms wrapped across its eyes and the other under its chin, I hugged the disgusting thing to my chest, finally able to stall its movement.

  It continued to writhe and twist underneath me, trying to squirm out of my grasp, drenching my arms with its warm blood in the process. Afraid to let it go, I did the only thing I could and pulled backwards with all my strength, limiting its movement. When I thought I had given all I could, the flash of Becky's blue eyes turning to red seared across my vision and I dug deeper, pulled harder.

  Not like Becky! Not like Becky!

  My growl rumbled to a bellow as I felt a fire in my muscles began to burn. An excruciating ache gushed through my arms, and I knew I was nearing my limits. The gargles of the dead-brain turned into strangled gasps, and then there was give where there shouldn't have been give.

  A shower of blood sprayed across the ground in front of me as flesh tore, sounding like ripping cloth, and I felt the unmistakable crack of bone reverberate through my strained arms. The force I struggled against ceased immediately.

  Realization dawned, and I fell away in horror, landing hard and dropping the vile thing to the ground in the process. The dead-brain flopped into a puddle of its blood, alive and squirming. I panicked, thinking it would continue its attack, but soon saw the awkward, impossible bend of its neck. It quivered and trembled, but the limbs no longer moved with purpose. Instead, they flopped and flinched clumsily. The only thing it had control over was its horrible red eyes. They darted around in its skull wildly.

  I rolled to the side, adding the soup I had for breakfast to the bloody muck that covered the ground.

  When my stomach was empty, I pulled myself to my haunches, not even able to wipe my mouth since every inch of me was covered in gore. I looked at Stephanie. The pack she was curled under rocked with her sobs. I hoped she hadn't been watching.